Kim Simpson, Jan Reid, and Bob Simmons discuss the history of American radio and the formatting revolution of the '60s and '70s. Simpson is the author of "Early '70s Radio: The American Format Revolution." Reid is the editor of Bill Young's "Dead Air: The rise and demise of music radio." Simmons reviewed both books for The Rag Blog.

Kim Simpson, PhD, is a cultural historian, musician, writer, and radio show host. He hosts Sunday Folkways on Austin's KUT and The International Folk Bazaar on KOOP. His CDs include Mystery Lights: Solo Guitar (2009), The Mad Dukes Sing and Play for You (2006), and Midnight Apparitions (1996). Jan Reid is an author and music historian and a writer-at-large for Texas Monthly, and his writing has also appeared in Esquire, GQ, Slate, and The New York Times. Reid's books include "Texas Tornado: The Life and Times of Doug Sahm," "The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock" (considered the definitive tale of Austin music in the 1970's), the novel "Comanche Sundown," and books about Tom DeLay and Karl Rove. Bob Simmons was a pioneer in the "underground" format in FM radio, and has been a producer and personality at a number of legendary radio stations in places like San Francisco, Austin, and Portland, including KUT, KPFA, KSAN, KKSN, and KFAT. His article, "Two on the American Radio Revoution," a combined review of "Early '70s Radio" and "Dead Air," was published at The Rag Blog, Jan. 25, 2012.

Host and Producer of Rag Radio: Thorne Dreyer; Engineer and Co-Producer: Tracey Schulz. Rag Radio is produced in the studios of KOOP 91.7-FM, an all-volunteer, cooperatively-run community radio station in Austin, Texas, in association with The Rag Blog (theragblog.blogspot.com) and the New Journalism Project. Underwriting announcements and recorded music have been removed from this podcast. Running time: 55:23.

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